Thursdays on First

Every Thursday in the city I live there is an epic street fair. It has food vendors, crafts, and concerts along with hundreds of people mingling about. It is the perfect time to show off my emerging tan (even though I wear sunscreen religiously) and my new summer outfits. Last week was a scorcher both day and night; just a reminder from Mother Nature that we are currently in the hottest season of the year. Well Mother Nature cannot dictate my fashion choices. During fun summertime events, such as concerts or street fairs, it is best to take advantage of tube tops, sundresses, shorty shorts, and sandals. Show off that beautiful body that God gave you!

To prevent myself from feeling like a hot dog in the roasting heat I chose a short and sweet strapless sun dress. I knew that while walking around for hours I would not attain those horrid strap tan lines, especially since I was wearing SPF 50. I also paired a stylish fedora with the outfit to protect my scalp and face from the blistering, cloudless sky. In addition, hats keep hair color from fading due to excessive sun exposure. Hats always have a double purpose; trendy fashion accessory and head/hair protector. I went with my "go-to" rose gold Tiffany necklace and a classic Fossil rose gold watch to tie it all together. I always get this feeling of victory when I can supplement an outfit with matching jewelry.

I had the clothing and accessories picked out, now I had to decide upon the right shoes. There were several choices laid out in front of me; wedges, flats, or boat shoes. Each of them worked perfectly, however, each provided a completely different look. I wanted to make sure that I made a statement with my outfit since I would more than likely run into people I knew. Ultimately, I opted for the wedges. Wedges are always an magnificent option for ladies with large calves, such as myself. I love to add a little bit of height to elongate my legs, particularly when I am wearing a shorter dress. Basically I used a simple template (the sundress) and added accessories to make it faultless.

Here are the items that I used in my outfit:
-Sundress: Gilly Hicks, $10 (clearance from previous summer season)
-Fedora: Target, $11.99
-Wedges: Macy's, Style&Co, $33.04 (originally $59, discounted to $41.30 with a 20% off coupon)
-Rose gold Fossil watch: Lord and Taylor, $86.50 with the help of a coupon
-Rose gold necklace: Tiffany, $$$ (present from my amazing boyfriend)
*In a previous post I talked about where to buy "look alike" jewelry for cheap; definitely take advantage of these options!

This time of the year is great to start looking for cute summery dresses. Online shopping is convenient to check out the current deals, but sometimes you need to try on the dress to make sure you are comfortable with the fit and length. With places like Macy's and JcPenny's there are excellent sales and coupons to take advantage of. Make sure to check the clearance and sale racks before anything else; that is usually the only place I shop due to my college budget. You can normally find superb items for cheap. Who does not like to save a little $$$. Girls should not have to sacrifice their fashion wardrobe for other groceries or gas. Ok, maybe shopping for clothes has to be put on hold sometimes because of a college budget, but, it should not be put to back burner forever if it makes you happy. Throughout my next few blog posts I will provide great places and tips to find epic fashion deals (let's just say some are pretty mind blowing). Keep an eye out!

Peace, love, and (fashion) happiness,
Belle